Life

Tri Terms it's Time to Retire

Fifteen years into the 21st century seems like a good time for a new tri lexicon.

by Lisa Dolbear

A lot has changed since triathlon’s debut in the 1970s. In 2016, we’re more digitally connected than ever before (worldwide, the average person carries an averaged of 2.9 devices). This year, millennials officially became the largest population, leading the charge on how technology affects our social mindset. In the spirit of this evolution, perhaps it's time to review our list of common tri terms and consider new ways to describe the swim-bike-run lifestyle and experience.

Pain cave

Most triathletes have completed a workout in a basement or garage at some point in their training. "Pain cave" may have been an apt description in the days of boom boxes and concrete floors, but today’s basement is hardly so primitive. Whether it’s binge-watching shows on Netflix, using a device to monitor BPMs, watts and kcals, or pumping dub-step through wireless speakers, today’s pain cave is more like the bat cave—a lair of awesomeness devoted to optimal performance.

Chicked

Women pass men all the time. Let's drop the fancy term for it and just get used to the idea that females are getting faster—and not just in triathlon. According to a recent study, women excel at episodic memory, the ability to recall and describe experiences and facts. This could also give them a leg up when it comes to the mental game in racing.

DNF

While it's simply just shorthand for "did not finish," the acronym feels so unforgiving and rude. The letters loom next to your name on race results, sturdy and abrupt, somehow quashing any silver lining you may have managed to glean from the experience. Perhaps it’s time to replace DNF with an emoji to bring a bit of empathy to the situation. (After all, emoji are considered a linguistic innovation, and we triathletes love innovation!).

This bit of slang might be accurate, but let's be honest for a moment. Isn't all of our training dreadful once in awhile? Using terms like this could spark a pattern of negative self-talk that actually make your workouts less effective. Instead of coining terms that rally our inner pessimist, let's look for words that embolden our inner badass. Maybe the treadmill becomes the "shredmill," as it enables you to tear down your competition!

Athena was the goddess of crafts and domestic arts? How did that term come to describe a "larger than average" female competing in triathlon? Are the curvier women competing in tri spending more time on Pinterest than their slimmer counterparts? Men, if you’re registered as a Clydesdale, then clearly you’ve been hitting the Budweiser too hard. Watch any race, and you’ll see that this sport isn’t restricted to only the ideal body compositions. Triathlon is a sport for all shapes and sizes. Let’s all be age-groupers and call it a day.

Bonk

Try telling a story about this experience to your non-tri friends and note the reaction. Your race-recap goes from PG to R-rated in the matter of a single sentence. On the plus side, maybe it will finally make sense to everyone why you’re so into the sport.

The IRONMAN shuffle

This term refers to the barely-a-walk lumbering of a triathlete holding on to whatever forward motion he or she can muster in order to cross the finish line. While it might be visually accurate (a tired human scooting along), it doesn't speak to the spirituality of the moment. In truth, this fragile footing is representative of the athlete’s greatest strength—perseverance. When you see the IRONMAN Shuffle, know that you are witnessing unparalleled resilience.

Brick

It could almost be considered a rite of passage the first time (or 50) a triathlete must explain to someone what this term means. On one hand, it’s cool to be part of a tribe that has its own lingo. On the other, it’s a question that even triathletes ask themselves…how did "brick" come to mean the completion of two consecutive workouts? Why not "stack" to describe the layering of workouts, or "pile," which conveys both the structure and post-workout feel in a single word?

Off-season

There is the season leading up to your race, the racing season, and the season after your race. While "off season" traditionally refers to the period of time you are not a slave to a certain training volume or intensity, triathletes rarely stop swimming, biking or running. "Off season" refers to the time of year that triathletes sign up for the Spartan Race, Warrior Dash or Color Run. We’re still moving, we just don’t tie that movement to any tri-specific goals. Suggestions anyone?